Josue De Paz is the co-founder and CEO of First Tech Fund (FTF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2020. FTF provides free technology and broadband access, mentorship, digital skills training, and insights into career pathways. The organization shows students the opportunities available to them and guides them on how to attain these opportunities, helping to level the academic and professional playing fields for low-income students of color. Josue was also a 2022-2023 Obama Foundation Scholar at Columbia University, one of 30 leaders selected globally.

Originally from Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico, Josue immigrated to the United States at the age of 5 and grew up in Los Angeles, CA. He holds a B.S. in Political Science from Santa Clara University and is currently a DACA recipient living in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, with his wife and dog.

Hooria Jazaieri is an Assistant Professor of Management at the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University. Prior to joining LSB, she was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley in Social Psychology, her MA from Santa Clara University in Counseling Psychology, and her BS from the University of Washington in Psychology. Outside of academia, she has professional work experience in a variety of industries including tech, consulting, and mental health.

Her research examines individual reputation and emotion. She studies the process of how people gain, lose, and recover their reputations, and how reputational information is stored and communicated in networks. Through a variety of settings ranging from baseball fields, sorority houses, wineries, and Japan, her work examines the content, structure, and dynamics of individual reputation. Her work on emotion centers on discrete emotions (gratitude, hope, compassion, awe) and how people regulate their emotions and the emotions of others. She takes a multi-method approach to her research, employing both qualitative and quantitative methods in experimental laboratory and field settings. Her work has been published in leading academic journals in the fields of management and psychology. In 2022, she was selected by Poets & Quants as one of the Top 50 best business professors. In 2023, she was awarded the Outstanding Faculty Award from the ACE Leadership Program. 

Marco A. Murillo, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Education in the School of Education and Counseling Psychology at Santa Clara University. Prior to joining Santa Clara University, he served as Postdoctoral scholar at UC Los Angeles and UC Berkeley. He earned his BA in Political science and History from the University of California, San Diego and a PhD in Education (Urban schooling) from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Dr. Murillo’s research focuses on the college preparation, persistence, and completion of racially minoritized students, with an emphasis on Latinx and immigrant-origin students. His current research centers the educational experiences of Latinx immigrant-origin transfer students. Utilizing arts-based (e.g., self-portraits) and testimonio methodologies, the research centers participants’ identities and to examine how college structures and practices are (mis)aligned with who they are and the types of educational and social supports they need. Dr. Murillo’s research has been published in journals such as AERA Open, Urban Education, Community College Review, and Peabody Journal.

Laura Nichols has been a sociologist at Santa Clara since 2000. Her latest research has focused on the trajectories of aspiring first-generation college students from middle school to young adulthood and the barriers in education that get in the way of students realizing their dreams and also work on how Catholic colleges and universities can contribute to the success of transfer students as well as students who are undocumented.

Christopher M. Bacon is an environmental social scientist, agroecologist and human geographer, currently serving as an associate professor and Chair of Santa Clara University’s Department of Environmental Studies & Sciences (ESS) and a member of the Environmental Justice and Common Good Initiative. He received a PhD in Environmental Studies from UC Santa Cruz (2005), and completed postdoctoral studies in Geography at UC Berkeley, before joining ESS in 2010. Chris specializes in climate resilience, livelihoods, food systems sustainability and change, food security in Central America, and environmental and food justice in California. He is the PI for the ACRAF Lab. Dr. Bacon’s work often uses a community-based and participatory action research approach to generate knowledge that informs theory and social change. He has mentored more than 50 undergraduate students and co-authored publications with several of them. Chris teaches introductory and upper-division classes related to environmental policy, politics and planning, political ecology, mixed-research methods, and food justice.

James M. Glaser joined Santa Clara University in July 2024 after serving over 33 years as a faculty member and 10 years as Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Tufts University. As the chief academic officer at SCU, he will oversee a broad portfolio including the College and all the schools, two centers of distinction, libraries, academic support programs, student life and wellness programs, global engagement, and enrollment management. Working closely with President Sullivan, he will strategize about how to best move the institution forward as it pursues its critical educational mission and in its quest to be a place of significant knowledge creation.

Glaser received his B.A. from Stanford University and his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. A noted scholar of electoral politics and American political behavior, he is the co-author (with Timothy J. Ryan) of Changing Minds, if Not Hearts: Political Remedies to Racial Issues (2013, University of Pennsylvania Press). His previous books, The Hand of the Past in Contemporary Southern Politics (2005, Yale University Press) and Race, Campaign Politics, and the Realignment in the South (1996, Yale University Press), each received the Southern Political Science Association’s V.O. Key Prize awarded to the year’s best book on Southern politics. Both books also were named as one of the year's “Outstanding Academic Titles” by Choice, a publishing unit of the Association of College & Research Libraries. He is presently at work on a book manuscript with Tufts colleagues Jeffrey M. Berry and Deborah J. Schildkraut on ideological differences in attitudes toward politics. His work also has appeared in journals such as American Journal of Political Science, The Journal of Politics, British Journal of Political Science, and Political Science Quarterly, among others.

Alexis Takagi serves as the Basic Needs Coordinator in the Office of Student Life at Santa Clara University, connecting students to resources such as food, housing, and transportation, and assisting them in applying for programs like CalFresh to further support their basic needs. She works to develop partnerships on and off campus to advocate for the needs of students.

Alexis is a proud first-generation, community college transfer student, and alumna of Santa Clara University (2022). She is currently a doctoral candidate at Santa Clara University’s School of Education and Counseling Psychology studying Social Justice Leadership.

In 2022, Alexis was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom as a commission member for the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), which oversees $3.2 billion in financial aid, serving as the student representative for the independent non-profit sector. Subsequently, she was one of the first students to be appointed to serve on Cradle to Career’s (C2C) Community Engagement Advisory Board in 2023.

Vivien Leung (she/they) is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Santa Clara University. Their research areas are in race and ethnic politics, political psychology, immigration, and American politics. More specifically, they are interested in the racialization of Asian Americans and how discrimination shapes identity formation and influences behavior. As a first generation college student and PhD, their work is informed by the unique struggles and challenges that first-generation scholars share in academia and beyond. They hope to be a resource to other first-gen communities and students looking for guidance. 

Vania Tong is an Assistant Director of Career Development (STEM + Innovation) at Santa Clara University. Prior to Vania’s three years at SCU, she committed over a decade of experience supporting folks in educational and career-oriented spaces. Her personal experiences and interest in diverse communities have led her to roles supporting refugees & asylees, new immigrant youth, and first-gen students across Los Angeles, New York City, Peru, and San Francisco Bay Area. Vania ultimately wants to see students flourish and hopes to support them through a holistic, equity-focused, strength-based, community-centered, and culturally-responsive lens. Vania holds a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Computing and the Arts, with a minor in Cognitive Science (Human Computer Interaction/User-Centered Design) from the University of California, San Diego, and a MS in Social Work, focusing on program design & evaluation and international social welfare from Columbia University.

Amanuel Bizuneh, a San Jose native and Santa Clara University alum, brings experience from working at a local law firm and marketing representative at a record label. He is eager to connect students with employers at the Career Center. As a first-gen student, Amanuel has overcome significant challenges, like juggling multiple jobs and facing biases, which have made him resilient and driven. He uses these experiences to help others achieve their professional goals and to build strong relationships between employers and the campus community.

Katy Korsmeyer’s career started at UCLA working on pyruvate dehydrogenase. At the University of Texas at Austin, she studied the structure-function of flavin-containing monooxygenase. Katy focused on post-translational modifications of cytochrome P-450s during her postdoctoral fellowship at UCSF. 

Volunteering with UCSF’s Science and Health Education Partnership (SEP) Triad Project started Katy’s passion for STEM outreach and enhance science education in K-12 classrooms. She volunteers with AWIS (Association for Women in Science nationally, regionally, and locally), has served on the board of the local  science and engineering fair association, and the board of Teach Biotech helping to run the non-profit for local educators to provide training and mobile biotech curricular labs to schools. 

Teach Biotech is housed at Santa Clara University (SCU) Biology department where she teaches a STEM Education & Social Justice course and a new Student Ambassador leadership course. As the Director of Special Projects in the College of Arts and Sciences Deans Office, she created the REAL program (Real Experience. Applied Learning.) for summer internship, research, projects, and creative works, seeks funding and reports on donations, manages graduation audits for several departments, leads efforts in recruitment events and loaner programs.

Katy enjoys creating and implementing new programs, supporting students in their personal and career growth, hands-on science outreach in the community, and advocating for women and first-gen opportunities

Victor Lemus currently serves as the Campus Minister for Community Justice Formation at SCU. Originally from Guatemala, though mostly raised in Los Angeles, Victor received his undergraduate studies in Studio Arts from Loyola Marymount University. Thereafter, he spent time in commercial real estate development, brokerage and the non-profit sector. Victor's time in the non-profit sector, particularly serving within the organization Homeboy Industries (a gang intervention program based in Los Angeles), led him towards his graduate work in SCU's Pastoral Ministry program, and ultimately, his current work in university ministry. As the Campus Minister for Community Justice Formation, Victor oversees a justice program focused on education, reflection, advocacy, and service.

Sarah Hays is the Director of Internships for the College of Arts and Sciences. With over 17 years of experience at SCU, Sarah joined the Dean’s Office in her new role in September 2022. Through 1:1 advising, class presentations, and elective course credit options, Sarah provides personal development and vocational discernment support to all majors in the college, as students take theory into practice; applying concepts and processes learned in the classroom into real world settings though experiential learning opportunities on and off campus.

Sarah also continues to serve as the Program Manager for the Valeriote-Goldman Public Health Leadership Program and as adjunct faculty with the Department of Public Health. 

Sarah is an alum of the Master of Arts in Counseling program in the School of Education & Counseling Psychology, holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) from Benedictine University and will complete her doctoral studies in 2025, when she earns her Doctorate in Education (EdD) in social justice leadership, with a focus in higher education from the School of Education & Counseling Psychology.

Cruz Medina is Associate Professor of Rhetoric and Composition in the English department at Santa Clara University, where he has taught introductory and advanced writing courses as a part of the LEAD scholars program since 2013. From 2009 to 2012, Dr. Medina taught for the New Start summer program for first generation students at the University of Arizona. On multiple occasions, he has also accompanied SCU LEAD Scholars students who participated in Shakespeare workshops at San Quentin prison with incarcerated men.

In 2020, Dr. Medina published an article with LEAD Scholar Perla Luna '19, after having presented alongside Luna at the 2019 CCCC national conference. Since 2016, Professor Medina has taught graduate courses for Middlebury College's Bread Loaf School of English. Professor Medina's second book Sanctuary: Exclusion, Violence, and Indigenous Migrants in the East Bay comes out September 2024 and comes from three years of research while volunteering as an English teacher for recent migrants in the Bay Area.

Ricky Bajwa is the Assistant Director of Admission (Diversity, Inclusion, and Outreach) at Santa Clara University. Born and raised in Berkeley and Richmond, CA, Ricky brings a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities faced by diverse student populations. With a specialization in diversity, equity, and inclusion, he plays a key role in creating pathways to higher education for underrepresented communities. His passion for cultural exchange has taken him to New Zealand and India, enriching his global perspective. Though widely traveled, Ricky has spent the majority of his life in the Bay Area, where he continues to contribute to the educational landscape.

Alana Zbasnik is a Financial Aid Specialist at Santa Clara University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Arizona, and now applies her analytical skills and passion for helping others to guide students through the financial aid process. Outside of work, Alana enjoys exploring new culinary experiences and practicing yoga.

Subramaniam (Subbu) Vincent is director for the Journalism and Media Ethics program.  Subbu's focus is on developing tools and frameworks to help advance new norms in journalism practice, ethical news product design and new vocabulary and signals to help the public process and demand ethical media. During 2017-18, Subbu was Tech Lead for The Trust Project at the Markkula Center. Prior to working for the Center, he was a 2016 John S Knight fellow at Stanford University. In 2022 he received the Distinguished Service to Journalism award from the Society of Professional Journalists, Northern California. He is a board member at KALW Public Media.

Caitlin Robinett Jachimowicz (JD '10) is the Interim Senior Assistant Dean for Enrollment, Strategy and Operations at Santa Clara Law.  She is also adjunct faculty, teaching Voting Rights & Election Law, Local Government Law, and Interviewing & Counseling. After law school, Dean Jachimowicz spent 11 years in public office, serving as a Santa Clara County Commissioner, Morgan Hill City Council Member, and Morgan Hill Elected Treasurer. She acts as a teacher and facilitator for the Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership at the Pepperdine School of Public Policy, a bipartisan good governance organization. 

In 2020, Jachimowicz was named one of the Silicon Valley Business Journal’s “Top 40 Under 40” and received the recognition of Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce’s Woman of the Year.

Jachimowicz is married to fellow SCU Law alum, Josh Jachimowicz (’11), and they have two young children.

Mary double majors in Biology and Public Health Science and minors in Sustainable Food Systems. In September 2023, Mary began her work as a research assistant in the ACRAF Lab. She mainly contributed to the Student Food Security and Basic Needs project and the Learning Resilience (NSF) project by conducting interviews and analyzing data using Excel and R. She also provided considerable support with data processing in the Sacred Heart Community Service project and the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities Laudato Si Project advancing bold proposals for environmental justice and sustainability across 28 institutions of higher learning.  Because of her passion for community health and issues surrounding food justice, Mary was appointed to the position of Wellness Chair in the Community Development branch of the Associated Student Government. 

Isabel Espinoza is a fourth year English major and Creative Writing minor. She’s a proud member of the LEAD Scholars Program and the President of the Transfer Student Union (TSU). Though there are some programs for incoming transfer students—like the university’s Latinx Leadership Incubator and LEAD Scholars Program—Isabel noticed there was no official organization specifically for transfer students. And being a transfer herself, she recognized the need for such an organization. And so, she took it upon herself to renew the inactive Transfer Student Union in hopes that she could create a warm and welcoming community for the current and incoming transfer students. 

Denae Rivera is a dedicated senior and first-generation college student pursuing a degree in Communication with a minor in Religious Studies. As the MCC Director she actively advocates for diversity and inclusion on campus. Denae is also a proud Peer Educator for the LEAD Scholars Program, where she hones her leadership skills and fosters community engagement. With a passion for sports management, Denae aims to merge her love for athletics with her academic background, aspiring to create equitable opportunities in the sports industry. As an Afro-Latina, she values her cultural heritage and seeks to uplift underrepresented voices in her field. Through her involvement and leadership, Denae is committed to making a meaningful impact during her college journey and beyond.

Check our last year's speakers!